Based on the "Breaking the Silence: The Unspoken Brotherhood of Vietnam Veterans," an oral history project highlighting the war experiences of Vietnam veterans in different parts of North Carolina, this presentation explores the concepts of trauma, silence, healing, and recovery.

Dr. Raynor served as project director for this NCHC grant. During this project, veterans who were once silenced by their memories of war shared their stories of indignities and pride, disappointment and sacrifice, honor and death, healing and recovery. Since this project evolved from her father's war experiences as seen and told in his photographs and diary kept during his tour of duty, this presentation will not only focus on his story but also on the stories of the community of veterans who once shared a strict code of unbreakable silence and who now have formed a brotherhood to heal their wounded souls.

This presentation will also share the process that Dr. Raynor had to take to be accepted into this community of veterans and to gain their trust in order to record their stories. She will share with the audience videotape clips of the public forums excerpts from the oral history interviews, photographs and newspaper articles, and memorabilia from the war.

Download Dr. Sharon Raynor's Breaking the Silence: The Unspoken Brotherhood of Vietnam Veterans, the July, 2002 issue of NC Crossroads.